po The O^atural Hi/lory 



them by the power of the Vinegar. Since perhaps his pofition 

 (though not fo well made out) comes nearer to truth than any 

 his Animadverters have brought for itfince. 



29. After the flones fome way related to the Celeftial Bodies, I 

 defcend nexttofuch as (by the vulgar at lead) are thought to be 

 fent us from the inferior Heaven , to be generated in the clouds, 

 and difcharged thence in the times of thunder and violent powers : 

 for which very realon, and no other that we know of, the an- 

 cient Naturalisls coined them fuitable names, and called fuch as 

 they were pleafed to think fell in the Thunder, Br ontide ; and thofe 

 that fell in /bowers, by the name of Ombridt : Which though a- 

 mongft other Authors has been the only reafon why thefe 

 have had place next the ftellated ftones, yet methinks it is due to 

 moft of them, by a much better pretence, having fomthing up- 

 on them that rather refembles zfiar of five points, than anything 

 coming from the clouds, or the Fifh Echinus ; to the fhell where- 

 of deprived of its prickles, Vlyffes Aldrovandws^, and fome o- 

 thers, have compared them, and therefore called them Echinitcs. 

 However, I think fit rather to retain the old names, though but 

 ill applyed to the nature of the things, than put myfelfto the 

 trouble of inventing new ones. 



50. Of Brontidi therefore, or Ombridt (call them which you 

 will) we have feveral forts in Oxford-fiire, which yet all agree in 

 this, that they are a fort of [olid irregular Hemijf hears ; fome of 

 them oblong, and having fomwhat of an oval ; others either more 

 elevated, or depreffed on their bafes. All of them divided into 

 five farts, moft times inequal, rarely equal, by five rays iffuant 

 from an umbilicus or center, defcending from it down the fides of 

 the body, and terminating again fom where in the bafe. They 

 are never found in beds together, like fome other formed ftones, 

 nor that I have yet heard of (fays the Ingenious Mr. Ray r ) in 

 great numbers in one place : but in the latter I muft take leave to 

 inform him, that though I think it in the main to be true, yet 

 that at Tangley, Fulbrook., and all about Burford, they are found 

 in fuch plenty, that I believe it were eafie in a little time, to pro- 

 cure a Cart-load of the firft fort of them, carefully exhibited in 

 Tab. 2. Fig. 9, 10. 



31. Whole innermoft texture, though it feem to be nothing 



1 Muf*um Meta/lic. lib. +. cap. 1. r Obfervacions Topograph. &c. p. 1 i(J. 



more 



